Renunciation of Action
The Supreme Lord Said:
"Although I am unborn and inexhaustible, and although I am the Lord of all beings, keeping nature under My control, I manifest Myself by My own self induced illusion."
[Chapter 4 Verse 6]
"Whenever and wherever there is decline of dharma (righteousness) and ascendance of adharma (unrighteousness), at that time I manifest Myself in visible form."
[Chapter 4 Verse 7]
"For the protection of the righteous and destruction of the wicked, and for the sake of establishing dharma again , I incarnate Myself on earth from time to time."
[Chapter 4 Verse 8]
"He who knows correctly the truth of My divine birth and actions, on leaving his body, would never take birth again. He would certainly come to Me."
[Chapter 4 Verse 9]
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
The Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1:36-43
ARJUNA: O Krishna, what satisfaction could we find in killing Dhritarashtra's sons? We would become sinners by slaying these men, even though they are evil. The sons of Dhritarashtra are related to us: therefore, we should not kill them. How can we gain happiness by kiling members of our own family?
Though they are overpowered by greed and see no evil in destroying families or injuring friends, we see these evils. Why shouldn't we turn away from this sin? When a family declines, ancient traditions are destroyed. With them are lost the spiritual foundations for life, and the family loses its sense of unity. Where there is no sense of unity, the women of the family become corrupt; and with the corruption of its women, society is plunged into chaos. Social chaos is hell for the family and for those who have destroyed the family as well. It disrupts the process of spiritual evolution begun by our ancestors. The timeless spiritual foundations of family and society would be destroyed by these terrible deeds, which violate the unity of life.
It is said that those whose family dharma has been destroyed dwell in hell. This is a great sin! We are prepared to kill our own relations out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom. Better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, were to attack me in battle and kill me unarmed and unresisting.
SANJAYA: Overwhelmed by sorrow, Arjuna spoke these words. And casting away his bow and his arrows, he sat down in his chariot in the middle of the battlefield.
Though they are overpowered by greed and see no evil in destroying families or injuring friends, we see these evils. Why shouldn't we turn away from this sin? When a family declines, ancient traditions are destroyed. With them are lost the spiritual foundations for life, and the family loses its sense of unity. Where there is no sense of unity, the women of the family become corrupt; and with the corruption of its women, society is plunged into chaos. Social chaos is hell for the family and for those who have destroyed the family as well. It disrupts the process of spiritual evolution begun by our ancestors. The timeless spiritual foundations of family and society would be destroyed by these terrible deeds, which violate the unity of life.
It is said that those whose family dharma has been destroyed dwell in hell. This is a great sin! We are prepared to kill our own relations out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom. Better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, were to attack me in battle and kill me unarmed and unresisting.
SANJAYA: Overwhelmed by sorrow, Arjuna spoke these words. And casting away his bow and his arrows, he sat down in his chariot in the middle of the battlefield.
The Bhagavad Gita: An Overview
The Bhagavad Gita is a story about a struggle for hereditary economic/political power, within the ancient royal Kuru family. One of the young princes of the family, Arjuna, is called upon to lead a war against another branch of the family that has made a fraudulent claim on the throne of what we know as India.
Arjuna prepares to fight and is accompanied and counseled by his charioteer, Krishna, who is a lower member of a different house in the same Kuru dynasty. Krishna also happens to be the eighth quintessential manifestation, a.k.a. an avatar, of Vishnu, the sum of cosmic forces that preserve the created universe from other forces that constantly work to corrupt and destroy it.
Arjuna is deeply stressed by this situation in which family is attacking family. The Bhagavad Gita is Arjuna's and Krishna's conversation about the problems inherent to the situation in which Arjuna finds himself and Krishna's suggestions for behavioral principles to guide Arjuna through the decisions he will have to make.
Arjuna prepares to fight and is accompanied and counseled by his charioteer, Krishna, who is a lower member of a different house in the same Kuru dynasty. Krishna also happens to be the eighth quintessential manifestation, a.k.a. an avatar, of Vishnu, the sum of cosmic forces that preserve the created universe from other forces that constantly work to corrupt and destroy it.
Arjuna is deeply stressed by this situation in which family is attacking family. The Bhagavad Gita is Arjuna's and Krishna's conversation about the problems inherent to the situation in which Arjuna finds himself and Krishna's suggestions for behavioral principles to guide Arjuna through the decisions he will have to make.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Letter to the editor: Senators support filibuster of anti-Surge resolution
Death and destruction embolden those who intend to become religious martyrs or tribal heroes. Strategic alternatives are disincentives to them. Senators Roberts and Brownback failed to understand this when they voted recently to avoid going on record by supporting the filibuster of a resolution expressing disagreement with President Bush’s plan to send 21,500 additional troops to Iraq.
The non-binding resolution included eight international strategies consistent with those supported by several retired Generals, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and the Iraq study group headed by James Baker.
In addition to the fact that it is difficult to respect reasons for or against the President’s plan if Senators won’t stand behind their positions with a vote, the hypocrisy of those who rhetorically flogged minority filibusters in the last Congress redoubles public disdain for those who expect our troops to make the ultimate sacrifice while they hide from having to stand up for their own positions.
The non-binding resolution included eight international strategies consistent with those supported by several retired Generals, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and the Iraq study group headed by James Baker.
In addition to the fact that it is difficult to respect reasons for or against the President’s plan if Senators won’t stand behind their positions with a vote, the hypocrisy of those who rhetorically flogged minority filibusters in the last Congress redoubles public disdain for those who expect our troops to make the ultimate sacrifice while they hide from having to stand up for their own positions.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Nutrition and Exercise journal 1/31/07
15 minutes of zone (legs and butt) Pilates.
Dinner:
15 Triscuits
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup dried garlic chips
12 oz raspberry juice + 1/4 cup elderberry-and-greens supplement powder
6:00 p.m. 30 minutes on the gazelle.
Dinner:
15 Triscuits
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup dried garlic chips
12 oz raspberry juice + 1/4 cup elderberry-and-greens supplement powder
6:00 p.m. 30 minutes on the gazelle.
Re: Pilates Exercise for a few minutes @ 2-3 hrs - Resistance exercise
http://www.zonepilates.com/?source=google&gclid=CLiZk5bZi4oCFQlQWAod2XLtoQ
This is a very good design. I have one of these and I think it's very worth the money. It can be used in a lot of different ways, even while seated at a desk.
This is a very good design. I have one of these and I think it's very worth the money. It can be used in a lot of different ways, even while seated at a desk.
Weds 1/31
I am going to try to post what I have or have not done every day. I hope none of you are annoyed by the food diary, but I think writing it down and showing others will help me regulate myself. Do you think it would be better to do it at the end of the day, so it could include everything diet and exercise from the whole day?
Breakfast at 9:00 a.m. today was:
one fried egg
1/2 thin smoked pork-chop
1/2 cup cheese grits
1 slice buttered whole grain toast
1 cup coffee
Lunch at 1:00
1 apple
I found a diet recommended by Pilates. The entire one week diet, recipes and all, fits on a tri-fold 8 1/2 X 11 card. And it has a shopping list. I showed it to Tim and he agreed that we would go to the grocery store and buy double the amounts indicated, so we can do this together. He's moving out soon, but we will have at least a week to help one another get going on this.
I have been reading that it REALLY is better to exercise within an hour after rising in the morning, because that sets your metabolism to increase rather than decrease the rest of the day. The book I'm reading also says to keep metabolism from falling, you should never sit perfectly still (you know those people who annoy you with their foot jiggling, or leg bouncing or whatever - that's supposed to be good for you). To keep your metabolism from falling, you're supposed to get up and move for several minutes every couple of hours or so.
Breakfast at 9:00 a.m. today was:
one fried egg
1/2 thin smoked pork-chop
1/2 cup cheese grits
1 slice buttered whole grain toast
1 cup coffee
Lunch at 1:00
1 apple
I found a diet recommended by Pilates. The entire one week diet, recipes and all, fits on a tri-fold 8 1/2 X 11 card. And it has a shopping list. I showed it to Tim and he agreed that we would go to the grocery store and buy double the amounts indicated, so we can do this together. He's moving out soon, but we will have at least a week to help one another get going on this.
I have been reading that it REALLY is better to exercise within an hour after rising in the morning, because that sets your metabolism to increase rather than decrease the rest of the day. The book I'm reading also says to keep metabolism from falling, you should never sit perfectly still (you know those people who annoy you with their foot jiggling, or leg bouncing or whatever - that's supposed to be good for you). To keep your metabolism from falling, you're supposed to get up and move for several minutes every couple of hours or so.
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